Pictures of Bella Swan
by twilightnite
Summary: /AU/ ‘Hate is more of a mutual feeling. Then again, hate is such a strong word, so we’ll just say I really LOATHE you Alice.’ She frowned at me. ‘Oh come off it Bella. It’s a simple dare. You just have to kiss him, not love him.’ Liar.
1. PreFace

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**Summary**/AU/ '_Hate is more of a mutual feeling. Then again, hate is such a strong word, so we'll just say I really LOATHE you Alice.' She frowned at me. 'Oh come off it Bella. It's a simple dare. You just have to kiss him, not love him.' Liar._

**Coming from a girl who's bored and watched two too many Hallmark movies, this story has to be at least half way decent right? But yes, this is in fact based of a Hallmark movie, with the storyline changed a bit, different characters…same basis though. So the movie was "Pictures of Hollis Woods", and the story is "Pictures of Bella Swan".**

_**What if you fall, and no one's there to catch you? Do you get back up and fight, or do you lie on the ground in pain?**_

**And that's the tagline for the story. For now.**

**- - - - - - - - -**

_**What do I remember? Well, that's a tough one. I remember some things though, like the way my sister would laugh, or how my cousin could cheer me up. The one thing I hated to forget was how much I had loved, and how much I'd been loved. **_

_**But love's never like that. It's either this or that, black and white. Plain and simple. Or that's what I'd been taught.**_

_**Nonetheless I can't seem to believe that it happened to me. That my cheeks would flush whenever I saw him, or that I would always stutter when I talked to him. **_

_**It's not like I meant for it to happen. It just sort of….did.**_

_**Do I blame someone for what happened? Should I?**_

_**I do blame myself though, for not standing up for myself. I did something I shouldn't have, and now it'll haunt me for the rest of my life.**_

_**Well I can't say anything really; I was the one who screwed up.**_

_**Wasn't I?**_

_**Then again, to tell you the truth I……can't remember. **_

_**-----Bella**_

Had I known that summer would end the way it did, I probably wouldn't have gone. No, instead I would have sat in the AC down in Jacksonville and witness the remainder of my sanity melt away. My brain probably would have fried in boredom.

Had I known that my 'siblings' were going to drive me up the wall for nearly three months, maybe I wouldn't have gone. Or maybe I would have, I'm not sure.

My family was completely messed up – confusing, scary, hectic, annoying—you know the kind. The kind of family that you can't stand to love, but love them regardless. That was a good thing though, to know that they cared and loved me back. Or at least that's what I thought.

I deliberately told him not to come. I said I was going for a walk and that I'd be back in about an hour. I told him not to go anywhere near that truck. I told him not to do anything. I said he could have gone fishing, and maybe finished packing. I yelled for him to slow down.

But did he listen?

No.

And if he had, maybe I would be able to remember why I fell in love with him in the first place.

**- - - - - - - - -**

**That's just the preface for now, and I hope you liked it. The plot is half way decent, and any reviews or constructive criticism is welcome. Chapter I of the story will be up in a short while.**

**---Kate**

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	2. Memoirs

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_**Chapter I. Memoirs.**_

**I never thought I'd get a whole lot of reviews. 2, I was expecting, but for me, 5 was pushing it. Thanks to you guys that reviewed though. And for those of you who didn't get the Preface, or the plotline, it's more developed later on. Remember, this is based somewhat**_**loosely**_** on "Pictures of Hollis Woods".**

**I have nothing left to say other than "Enjoy".**

**- - - - - - - - -**

I hadn't always been this way. I used to be able to remember things at the drop of a hat. Now? The hat was long gone, and dancing through the wind by the time I remembered something.

Like faces.

I used to be really good with faces and names, and now I have to stare at someone uncomfortably for a few hours until I memorize everything about them. Like that really matter anymore.

It had all started a few years ago, back when I was eleven.

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My mother had taken me and my sister out for the day, dropping us off at the corner before walking over to the bench to yak on her new cell phone.

Alice had grabbed my arm, leading me into the shade off the nearby willow tree, and out of view from our mother. Raising one finger to her lips, my sister signaled for me to be quiet. When I nodded, she smiled, grasping onto a nearby branch before swinging her legs over it. After she had positioned herself properly onto the limb, she reached out for me, leaving some extra space on her perch.

She had pulled me onto the branch, and then proceeded to climb deeper into the tree, and further from the rays of the hot Arizona sun.

It was our tree, that old willow. We'd carved our initials into the old dead limb, and even had a little picnic in it.

I'd never realized how much I'd avoid the tree from then on.

Alice had stopped at one of the lower branches, and lounged against the thick one closest to her. She smiled, folding her hands behind her head, watching me climb higher into the sky.

"Bella," She had called up to me, sitting up. "I wouldn't go much farther if I were you. You don't know how safe it is up there." I'd rolled my eyes, trying to ignore her worries.

"You worry a lot." I called back down to her. Regardless of what I said, I then began to climb back down toward the trunk like limb she was on. "Woah!" I shouted, slipping slightly on the branch I was climbing down.

"Bella! Be careful!" Alice shouted at me, attempting to stand. "Bella!" She called again, reaching for me. "Here, take my hand." I nodded, still shell-shocked from my near miss.

"O-okay," I stammered, reaching for her slowly. I gasped again as my sneaker wedged itself into the forked limbs. I whimpered a bit, my terror increasing. "A-Alice.."

"I'm coming Bella, just stay there." She took a quick look around before hoisting herself closer to my trapped foot. "Don't move." She stated, reaching for my shoe.

"I won'-" I trailed off, my screams echoing off of the tree as my foot freed itself from its branch prison. Alice stared at me wide eyed, grabbing at my hand, and then my shirt.

"Bella!" My pitiful screams continued as I found myself diving head first toward the earth.

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I'd woken up in a hospital, finding myself hooked up to a bunch of wired equipment and a bag filled with some strange liquid. My gaze wandered around the room, taking in the strange signs and markings. At the top of the wall was border, full of brightly colored objects. An odd sound at the foot of my bed brought me back to reality.

I followed the sound, my eyes finally landing on a pale barefoot girl sitting before me. She had some black stuff on the top of her head, and was folded in on herself, her thin shoulders shaking with silent cries as she wrapped her arms around her legs.

Playfully, I nudged her with my foot, trying to get her to stop crying. Gasping, she released her grip on her wrists, staring at me puffy eyed.

"Why are you crying?" I asked, trying to tilt my head to the side in question, only to find something in my way. My face twisted into a grimace as pain shot down the back of my neck and upper spine.

"Oh Bella! Thank god! I thought you weren't going to wake up." She sniffled, wiping her eyes with the base of her palms.

"Why?" She looked down at the stiff sheets in front of her, picking at the collar of her white sleeveless shirt. She sighed, and then looked up at me, smiling a bit.

"Well…" The girl sat up, crawling toward me. "Here, scoot over a bit."

"Okay." I said, moving over to the side of the bed to make more space for the girl with dark stuff on her head. After settling herself beside me, she draped an arm across my shoulders, frowning at the strange thing on my neck.

"Geez, that neck brace doesn't go with any of your clothes." She muttered. Shaking her head, she began to tell me a story about two sisters, a tree, and a fall.

"So I fell out of a tree?" I almost yelled at her, shocked.

"Bella, shush! You don't need to wake up the _whole_ hospital!" I frowned at her as she took her hand, running it through the black stuff on her head.

"Bella?" I whispered to her. Confused, she took her hand out of the black stuff.

"Uh, yeah? You're Bella. Duh." She laughed a bit, stating it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I couldn't help but frown at her again. Her laughter subsided as she scowled down at me.

"Bella." I said again, almost as if my mind was unable to say anything but that one word.

"Yeah. You're Bella," She put a hand against my thin chest. "And I'm Alice." She withdrew her hand and placed in against her own chest. "Mary really, but you always call me Alice."

I simply blinked at 'Alice, Mary really'. Her eyebrows moved closer together before realization hit her. Tears began to blur my vision.

"You," She trailed off, pure shock masking her pretty face, blinking through the bright lights coming through the glass in the wall. "You don't remember….Do you?"

I felt a few tears fall down my pale cheeks as I wrapped my arms around her, some bulky blue thing on my wrist getting in the way.

No, no I don't remember.

But I was going to, I knew that much.

**- - - - - - - - -**

**If you're confused, what happened was Bella fell out of the willow tree she and her sister were climbing. Her memory is faltering slightly in the chapter, seeing as she landed on her head, breaking her neck. She didn't exactly fall directly on her head because she covered her head with her arms in an attempt to break her fall.**

**Although I never said much about this in this chapter, Bella's wrist is also broken, because like I said before, she tried to break her fall.**

**Now Bella does remember some things, while she doesn't remember others. **

**This was more of a filler chapter. I was just setting the stage so you're not watching a play without knowing what's going on.**

**Chapter II will be up as soon as I finish it. -smiles-**

**---Kate**

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	3. Courtesy

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_**Chapter II. Courtesy **_

**-claps- So the last chapter was a filler chapter, and now this chapter gets the plot movin'. Last chapter was a memory, and this one's in the present. I had to set the stage in the last chapter, and now you get to see the act in motion.**

**- - - - - - - - -**

The dull thud of my head against the window glass woke me from my dreams. Startled, I blinked rapidly, looking around and prayed that I hadn't missed my stop. Pines and elms whizzed through my sight, and I sighed, leaning back into the seat, content. I looked up toward the driver, watching them pull the small microphone from its hook.

"Next stop, Clinton Avenue." They murmured drowsily as the bus was flooded with the soft voice. Yawning quietly, I rose my hand slightly, gazing down at the ticket of bus stops. Finally finding Clinton Avenue on the list, scouring the remainder of the paper for my stop.

I gasped as the bus came to a halt. With a startled 'woah!' I collided with the seat before me, disturbing the non existent passenger before me. Pulling myself away from the seat, I looked up in time to see a dark haired man escort a majorly pregnant woman down the aisle toward the door.

I shouldered my bag, still paranoid from my mother's "Someone may try to steal your bag on that filthy way of transportation". A dark object dominated my plane of vision as I stood up to get back in my seat. Without thinking twice I grabbed it, and ran toward the front of the bus.

Clutching the strap of my bag in my hand, I darted past to driver and down the steps toward the door.

"Hey! You're the next stop, just sit and wait." She groaned at me, resting her head back against the headrest. I nodded quickly, trying to locate the man and woman.

"Yes, yes, I know. That man just left his wallet on his seat. If you could just-"

"Look honey," She cut me off, staring me down with a nothing but business look. "This isn't a ride here. You can't get off and on whenever you like. You either stay on or you get off." She snapped at me, gripping the steering wheel. "So what's it going to be?"

I'd finally located the man and woman, a few yards down the road when I just snapped back at her.

"I'm going to return his wallet. I'm going to do the _right_ thing, whilst you just sit here driving this tub on wheels back and forth. Have a nice life." The woman glared at me as I jumped off the bottom step and straight into a mud puddle.

"Whatever," She huffed, closing the door behind me. The tires squealed as she pulled away, obviously attempting to spray me with debris lingering on the road. I jumped forward, throwing the dodge the stick that had gotten caught up under the tire. With my luck –which was like, zero- the stick end up flying up into the air toward me, smacking me in the back of the head.

"Oooh, tender spot," I muttered, rubbing a hand gingerly against my scar. I stared at the spruces trees dotting the landscape of upscale homes and well polished lawns. I groaned at the Richie Rich homes, scouring the nearby area for the expecting couple. Puckering my lips in boredom, I finally found them, walking in the opposite direction.

Clutching the black wallet in my hand, I took of in hot pursuit, dodging a fallen branch or two as I followed the couple.

"Excuse me," I called after them, trying to pick up the pace. "Excuse me." The second time I called the man turned a bit bewildered. I took a deep breath, walking up to them.

"I believe you dropped this." I puffed, holding out the bit of leather. He blinked down at my hand, as if he didn't know what it was.

"Oh, why thank you." He smiled at me, his dark hair casting a shadow over his already dark eyes. He reached out a pale hand, in which I slapped his wallet. The woman next to him smiled, brushing some flame like hair behind her ear.

"Ah James, give her something as thanks." The man -James- nodded, pulling a green bill from his now returned wallet. I stared down at his hand wide eyed before looking back up at his smiling face.

"No! I mean, you don't need to, it's nothing…really," I waved a hand dismissively, only for the redhead to shake her mane.

"It's our way of saying thank you." She smiled at me, raising one of her hands to shield her eyes from the hot sun. I did nothing but blink at her uncomprehendingly, torn out of my daze when James cleared his throat.

"Here you are," He said as he handed me a bill. "It isn't much, but we're saving for the baby." I smile weakly at him, slowly taking the money from him, unsure. They both smiled at me, and he put an arm of support around his wife.

I looked down at my hand, and at the money he had given me. "Ten dollars! But sir I can't- I mean thank…" I trailed off, looking for them. My brow knit together when I saw nothing but an empty street before me. "…you." I quickly pocketed the money and turned toward the direction of my destination.

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"Let's see…town is about a mile or so from here…and then the cabin is nearly two and a half miles from there…" I folded my arms across my chest and lowered my head, avoiding the raindrops falling on my head. I laughed to myself quietly, contemplating Alice's reaction to my frizzy hair.

After a few minutes of my nature walk, I began humming 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' to myself, laughing at the irony. A few verses of that and I was ready to perform on Broadway.

Still bored with a mile to go, I went of the list of names in my head, and spoke them aloud.

"So it's Carlisle, Rosalie, Jasper, and Edward who're staying with us. Three of them are blond, and one has reddish brown hair." I nodded to myself. "Or wait," I slowly my power walk to a crawl, trying to rename our guests. "Maybe it was Carlson and Rosaline that were coming. Then they were bringing their kids Jasmine and Edwin." I frowned at the ground.

"No, no, no. It's Edmond and Jasmine's children Carly and Raymond." My frown grew. "But it was supposed to be Rose…something and her brother? Or was it….no, that's not it…" I growled in frustration, trying my hardest to remember the names of our guests.

I kicked a stone further down the side of the road. Stupid memory lapses. Stupid willow tree, stupid accident, stupid, stupid, stupid. I yelled in my head.

Looking up, the two crumbling buildings appeared in the nearby distance. A flood of relief rushed over me as I jogged toward town. I did a silent cheer in my head, hearing the familiar buzz of activity.

"Thank the lord!" I shouted, and laughed as I entered the border of the town. I rolled my shoulder, attempting to get feeling back into it. I kept walking, glaring pointedly at the 'Bus Stops Here' sign as I passed by it. What caught my attention was not the strange boy standing by the sign watching me, but what he held in his hands. My suitcase.

"Excuse me?" He called out to me, waving a hand at me. "Is this yours?" I blinked at him, startled.

"Well, yes, But I…I thought I left it on the bus." I stammered, walking toward him. He smiled crookedly.

"You did, but I thought I'd return it to you. You're Isabella right?" He held the handle out to me, still smiling. I couldn't help but blink at him again, unable to speak any words of gratitude at the moment. His smile faded and was replaced with concern, and it was obvious I was making him uncomfortable.

"Bella," I said, breaking out of my haze. I held one hand out in front of me. He looked down at it and then back at my face –I quickly noted that his gaze had actually wandered up my body slowly, which was karma for me, seeing as I made _him_ uncomfortable. The boy smiled, and took my hand, shaking it gently.

"Edward,"

**- - - - - - - - -**

**-holds up peace sign- There's the second chapter, again it may be a bit of a filler, but I wanted to build suspense, introduce you all to Edward and then attempt to build more suspense. I'm hoping that worked.**

**Two chapters in one day! Woo, go me! -laughs-**

**Hopefully that was long enough for you 'CuzEdwardlovesBrunettes, that's all I've got in me-and all I've got time for- tonight.**

**---Kate**

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	4. Hormones

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_**Chapter III. Hormones**_

_**(This chapter was either going to be titled 'Emotional' or 'Hormones' you can pick one for me, I couldn't decide.)**_

**-laughs- I'm just gonna keep writing this…..and then we'll see where we go from here. You get introduced to a few more characters, one of which you've already met in the first chapter, and only are people who've already been mentioned.**

**Before I forget to add this, in this AU story, some of the ages are changed, just to make things fit better. The relationships will be explained in the Author's Note at the end. (If I remember to put it there…)**

**It took me forever to fall asleep the other night because I was busy coming up with ideas for later chapters. (And it's a **_**VERY **_**fluffy chapter too!)**

**(Note as of **_**6/17**_**: I wrote most of this before one of my exams, and now I have two more to study for! If I fail, I'm blaming one of you…. **_**(evil glare)**_**)**

**(Side Note: I apologize in advance if anything says 'Jacklyn', 'Ally', 'Luke', or 'Evan'.)**

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

"Edward," I repeated, slowly letting go of his warm hand. _Edward_, I thought to myself. _Why did that name sound so familiar? _

"Is everything alright?" He asked, genuinely concerned. My frown dissolving as I found myself lost in his bright green eyes. There were like emeralds in a way, dark when hidden in shadows, but when the light hit them it was, well, _dazzling_. "Isabella?" He asked again, making my first name sound like velvet.

"Bella, I mean, are you alright?" I blinked, trying to find something to say other than the 'Uhh…' building in my throat. "Bella?"

"Uhh…" I cleared my throat, embarrassed. "Ahem, I mean, yes, yes I'm fine." I smiled, trying to hide the blush creeping across my face. He smiled crookedly, disrupting my train of thought and causing me to go 'Uhh…' again. Embarrassed? Me?

"Well, here you are." He said, handing me my suitcase. Still looking up into his eyes, I felt my smile grow.

"Thank you," I nearly whispered, feeling my whole face grow hot.

"It's nothing, I was behind you on the bus." His smile made his eyes squint a bit, and I took a step back, clutching my suitcase.

"Y-you were?" I stuttered, trying to remember if someone sat behind me.

"Yes, I saw you get off and run after that man with his wallet." He stated as if it was obvious, putting his hands in his pockets. I blinked, finally remembering a tuft of bronze hair behind me. I bit my lip, nodding.

"Yeah, that was me." I stammered, absently chewing on a bit of my hair, trying to slowly back away toward the road leading to our cottage.

"Are you looking for someone? I mean, you do look familiar." He murmured, gazing at my face with intensity.

"Actually, yeah, yes I was." I said, smiling again. He nodded, letting his eyes wander around the nearby buildings, streets, and passerby. "Have you seen a short black haired girl? I was supposed t-" I was cut off as something nearly rock solid collided with my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I dropped my suitcase in surprise, trying to fight back the startled cry that had escaped my lips.

"Ah Bella! Finally!" My sister squealed, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. She pulled her head away from my armpit to smile up at me. Her smile faltered as she looked up my face to my forehead. "My god, what is that _fur ball_ on your head?" She glared at my hair as I quickly went to cover my hand with my hands.

"Leave my frizzy hair alone," I muttered, trying not to laugh at her little 'tut tut' expression. She gave it another scrutinizing look as she shook her head.

"Look, I'll take you back to the cabin and get rid of all the leaves and other crap in your hair. Until then, just try to hide it." She said while taking the cap off her red and black streaked hair before shoving it onto my light brown poofy mane. She took a step back, admiring her work. Alice shrugged. "Well, it's an improvement."

I opened my mouth to retort, but stopped myself when I remembered that the poor boy was still standing next to us, watching our charade play out with a slightly bemused expression. A pink tinge flooded my face as he continued to watch.

"S-sorry," I stammered, pulling down the rim of the cap until it covered my eyes. Alice rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her stomach as she turned on her heel to face the boy. Whose name was……Edwin?

"And _who_ might _you_ be?" She asked, shaking her head so that a few streaks of black and red fell in front of her eyes, giving her a bit of a menacing demeanor. He blinked and took a step back, putting a hand on the back of his neck; showing that he was both startled and uncomfortable.

It took everything I had not to laugh the scene before me. A four-foot-ten girl threatening a six-foot-something boy who could just as easily snap her in half as he could strangle her? Was there not humor in that?

"Alice no! This is…This is…um…" I snapped my fingers, trying my hardest to remember his name. His brow furrowed as I shrugged feebly. '_Sorry_' I mouthed to him as I stepped between him and my overly suspicious/protective rottweiler of a sister. "Now Alice-" I started to say before she cut me off.

"I don't wanna hear it, _Isabella._" I winced, knowing full well that Alice calls me Isabella just as much as I call her Mary Alice, and we only do so when we're either extremely P.O.ed or dying. Not that I would know what I'd say to her if I was dying though. I opened my mouth to fight back, trying to find some feasible retort.

"Well that's too bad then, _Mary Alice_." Only it wasn't me who said it, although it was what I had been about to say. Alice, instead of glaring at me like she had been a moment before, tore her gaze from me to the man behind me.

"Yeah well.." She trailed off, staring wide eyed at the figure looming over my shoulder. Bewilderment was quickly masked with surprise and joy as she leapt forward, wrapping her arms around the poor guy's abdomen. "Jasper! You actually showed up!" His response was a grunt.

"And why wouldn't I? It's not everyday that you your girlfriend celebrate their two year anniversary." He muttered, trying to breathe as she just squeezed him harder. "Or your girlfriend tries to squeeze you to death with a bear hug." A smile grew on his pale face as he attempted to pat my sister on the back. When he saw me he grinned, exposing his teeth at me and expressing his greetings with a jerk of his head.

"Bella," He wheezed, trying to wiggle out of my sister's death grip. I smiled, nodding back at him.

"Jasper." Alice finally let go of him, keeping one hand clasped tightly around his. She continued beaming at him as I adjusted my cap, trying to block out the rays of the sun and the strange looks I was getting from the three of them.

"What?" I mumbled, trying to ignore the curiosity and unwanted stare of their faces. "Why am I being stared at? Am I really that amazing?" Although I was only joking when I said this, I found myself startled to hear the reddish haired boy say "Yes." I blinked, tilting my head and squinting to look up into his dark green eyes.

"Sorry?"

He took a step back, shaking his head slightly. "I didn't say anything." He stuttered, an unusual pink tinge flashed across his face. Alice shook her head slightly at me, regarding me with a quizzical look. I attempted to shrug it off.

"Why don't we just go now instead of staring at each other like a bunch of love sick lunatics?" I prodded, emphasizing my point my nodding toward my sister and her boyfriend, who were at the moment, 'staring at each other like love sick lunatics'. Alice rolled her eyes and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she came sauntering over to me.

"Must you ruin all my fun?" She hissed, narrowing her eyes down at me as I glared back. We started laughing after a few moments before linking our arms and trudging off toward the dirt path leading to the cottage. "Besides," She got on her toes to fill the two inch gap between her head and my head to whisper into my ear once the boys –who were now proceeding with walking a few feet behind us, joking together— were out of earshot. "I think you're just jealous. Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

I stopped to glare at her, fighting the memory threatening to bubble to the surface. It took nearly all of my will power not to flip her off at the moment, and I simply turned away from her, picking up the pace. She groaned loudly showing her displeasure. I smirked to myself as I trudged onward, now a bit irked that I hadn't accepted my aunt's offer to give me a ride to the cabin. Alice began to stomp her feet on the ground in annoyance as she came to walk beside me.

"Sore spot?" She asked, tilting her head a bit as she gave me a sideways glance. I noticed that the two boys were only about a foot or two behind us.

"That," I said, staring straight ahead of me, rolling my shoulder back as I adjusted my hold on my bag again. "Would be an understatement." Understatement of the year more like. She frowned at me, her brow furrowing as her pace slowed a bit.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, beginning to probe me for information.

"Nothing." I muttered, not wanting to have this discussion with the boys practically breathing down our necks. Actually, I didn't want to have this discussion period.

"What's not up for discussion?" Jasper asked, leaning forward so that his chin rested on Alice's shoulder. Like a rouge pirate and her parrot. Edward –whose name I now remembered—snickered quietly as Jasper turned his head to kiss Alice's ear. She giggled, and quickened her pace, leaving Jasper unsupported.

Jasper blinked in shock, trying to ignore our laughs as he fell to the ground face first. He landed with a thud and a grunt, slowly picking himself up off the ground. Edward's shoulders shook with his silent laughter, and Alice coughed, trying to hide her giggles. I was the only one who kept laughing like there was no tomorrow.

For the second time in the past twenty minutes I found myself getting a bunch of weird looks from the three people I was traveling with. I took a breath. I was about to speak when Alice interrupted me.

"You don't get out much do you?" Her eyebrow rose. I shrugged, rolling my eyes.

"Sure I do. Just not as much as you." I retorted, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Well at least I have a life-"

"Ladies, ladies," Jasper cut her off, draping an arm over our shoulders. "Let's not fight." Alice sniffed and leaned into him. I just shrugged his arm away.

It was quiet for a while; the only noise was that of Alice trying not to trip over Jasper's feet. Other than that, nature was the only sound we could hear. Edward walked next to me in silence, glancing at me every few moments, as if making sure I didn't get lost. I let my mind wander, thinking back to more peaceful times when our parents had still been together.

Now that I thought about it, what happened to drive that wedge between Charlie and Renée, the world's perfect couple? Alice and I had always gotten along, and had never fought all that much, but still.

Why do I still feel like it was my fault? It wasn't as if… It was _him_. Maybe. Wasn't it because he-

No. I wouldn't let myself think about that. I'd shut out that thought, just like I had shut out the world during that time. If only I hadn't-

"Bella," Alice snapped her fingers in front of my face, bringing me out of my daydream. "Stop making goo-goo eyes at the ground and pay attention to where you're going. Trees aren't meant to be run into you know."

I stuck my tongue out at her, relishing how much it annoyed her. Her eyes narrowed, and I could see her hand shaking as she tried desperately not to slap me.

"Go ahead and do it. I know how badly you want to." I said, fanning the flames. Her eyes were angry little slits now, and Jasper had started to make his way over with a confused look, reaching out a hand for his girlfriend. Alice snapped.

"God! You know what Bella? You can be such an insensitive, insecure, immature little twit! You think the world just hates you, and for that reason you act like you don't care! Well guess what? _I do!_ And nothing I do is ever good enough for you!" She clenched her hands into fists. "I tried Bella. I really did. But it was out of my control. I couldn't do anything about it, so just shut your mouth for five freaking minutes and see the world for what it really is! Nothing is perfect, _and it never will be!_"

Her voice rose about fifteen octaves at the end of speech, and she turned on her heel, hurrying away, seething. Jasper followed after her quickly, glancing back at me a few times with a curious look. Anger started to build within me.

"Not all of us express our feelings in the same way!" I yelled at her; making bag slipping down my shoulder. Alice's shoulder stiffened, but she refused to look back.

"At least I _have_ emotions!" She hollered over her shoulder. She still refused to look at me. My bag had now long since fallen to the ground, and I now bent over to pick it up. Tears pricked along my eyelids and closed my eyes, willing them away. I've always hated to cry.

I was bent over for a few moments until a hand descended upon my shoulder, making me look up and squint into the sunlight slipping between the tree branches. The dim light cast a bit of an aura around Edward, making me gasp. He really did look like an angel at the moment.

"Are you alright?" He asked again for the second time today. I never realized how incredible his voice had sounded until now… "Bella?"

I blinked as he said my name, slowly starting to get up. He placed a hand under my elbow to steady me and I was sure that I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat then. One of his eyebrows rose in a cute and confused way, and I tried desperately not to giggle.

"I'm fine; Alice's is just being her usual hormonal self. Just trying to pick at old wounds. Nothing new really." I wanted to say something else but then chose not to. I shrugged nonchalantly, not wanting to go into further detail. He obviously got the message because he nodded and released my arm, slowly starting to walk away.

My arm had a growing tingling sensation to it where he had been touching me, and it made my stomach twist in an uneasy way. It felt as if there were hundreds of butterflies fluttering around inside of me, unable to find an escape. I sighed and began to trudge after my small troupe.

As the cabin finally came into view I couldn't help but succumb to the feeling of dread twisting my stomach into knots. Spending almost three months cooped up with some people I loved, and some I barely even knew? What had I gotten myself into?

I clenched my jaw as my sister stepped into the house without as much as a passing glance. Jasper followed after her, shooting me an apologetic look. I rolled my eyes as the aged screen door slammed behind the couple. Edward shot me a sideways glance and I gave him a small smile in response.

"Alice and I argue all the time over little things, so don't worry about it too much. I'm sure it'll all blow over in about an hour or so." My smile faltered, and my voice didn't sound as reassuring as I'd meant it to be. In a random act of boldness, Edward smiled wide and draped an arm across my shoulders.

"If you need a bodyguard, all you need to do is ask." He chuckled.

"Good to know. I'll keep that in mind." We laughed in unison, and I couldn't help but notice how his laughter rang out with clarity, unlike anything I'd ever heard. His eyes crinkled like my father's when he laughed as well. "I already have my cousin –Emmett- for that, but having back-up is always a good thing right?"

"'Course it is."

"Ha."

He reached for the small door handle; his arm still draped across me shoulders. I paused, twisting out of his grip with almost remorse. His brow furrow before he quickly retracted his arm.

"Did I do something wrong?" I quickly shook my head, not wanting this amazing boy to feel guilty about something that was not his fault.

"N-No. I just wanted to sit out here for a moment and collect my thoughts before I went inside to face the wrath that is my sister." He nodded respectfully and slide through the screen door into the living room, soon to be bombarded by my aunt, cousin, and who knew else.

I walked toward the length of the house and sighed, leaning against the wall. The thin watch on my wrist proclaimed that it would soon be dusk, and I still had to be interrogated by my aunt. ("How was your trip?" "You didn't run into any trouble did you?" "I knew I should have had Emmett come pick you up! What was I _thinking_?!")

I drummed my fingers against my thigh and puckered my lips before taking a deep breath. Slowly and quietly, I whispered the words I had withheld only a few short minutes ago.

"Even though not all of my wounds are physical."

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

**Took me about five months, but I finally did it. And **Hope.Flies**,** **I'm still debating on making this into a real book.  
And I'm not really going to rename this story, because I have nothing to replace the current title with.**

**Oh, and I said I'd explain the relationships and ages right? It's kind of simple.**

**Bella and Alice are sisters. Bella is 16, Alice is 17. Their parents are Charlie and Renée. (They live in Forks. Bella would have stayed at the vacation home is Jacksonville had she not decided to stay with her aunt for the summer.)**

Esme is Bella's aunt. (You decide her age.)

Emmett is Bella's cousin. He is also Esme's son. He's 18.

Jasper is obviously Alice's boyfriend. Jasper is 18.

**Rosalie –who has yet to be introduced in this story-, is obviously Emmett's girlfriend. She's 17 as well.**

**Carlisle is Jasper and Rosalie's father. (You can decide his age as well.)**

Edward is Jasper's best friend from high school who was invited to come along on their trip. He is 16.

**As for the Edward-Bella relationship….Do you really have to ask? (**_**laughs**_**)**

**I do, however, have a twist planned out for a later chapter, but you'll have to wait and see what it is.**

**--Kate**

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